I spoke to Portland Timbers coach John Spencer over the weekend, just catching up and such. First thing I learned: Spencer will always be fun to work with.
How much will Darlington Nagbe play for Portland in 2011?
I asked who has looked good so far? “Well, I think I’ve looked pretty good out there!”
A regular Jerry Seinfeld, that one. Let's hope he keeps that good sense of humor during rough times ahead. And rest assured they are out there, just as they are for pretty much every MLS expansion side.
I’ll spread more of the findings of my talk with Spencer through pieces coming up later at SI.com and here on this little blog. But one enlightening element I'll share here concerns rookie striker Darlington Nagbe, the league’s overall No. 2 draft pick:
He's going to be an exciting player to watch, and Spencer doesn’t plan to coddle the young man. Nagbe, 20, can chart his own course, Spencer said.
“It’s totally up to him,” Spencer said. “If he’s good enough, he’ll play every game of season. It’s as simple as that. I’ve told him, “If you play well, you’re going to play a lot.’ ”
Spencer isn’t oblivious to pressure and how it affects young players. He just believes Nagbe can handle it. He says he has made it clear to Nagbe that it he wants to merge more slowly into the fast lane of professional soccer, then that’s how it will be. “We don’t want to put too much pressure on him, because he is a tremendous young talent. If he wants to sit on the sidelines and learn the game for a year, he can do it.”
Still, you get the feeling Spencer might be a little disappointed if that’s the way forward. He has mentioned how Wayne Rooney played for Everton’s first team at age 16. Nagbe is no Rooney. Most players aren’t, of course.
But Spencer believes the University of Akron man can be an effective player in MLS – and soon.
Danny Mwanga recorded 7 goals and 4 assists last year as a rookie for Philadelphia. Steve Zakuani had 4 goals and 4 assists in his rookie season for Seattle. Those were the last two No. 1 draft choices. Nagbe wasn’t a No. 1, but he was a No. 2, so those seem like fair targets for the Timbers young striker.
See More:
